Electronic Device Network System and Data Receiver Search Method Using Electronic Device Network System

1. An electronic device network system comprising: an electronic device for transmitting print data via a network; a plurality of storing means for storing the print data transmitted from the electronic device; a plurality of printers for acquiring the print data from the storing means and printing the acquired print data; a setting section for setting a security level of the print data to be transmitted, wherein the security level of the print data is set in the setting section responsive to an input from a user of the electronic device, where the set security level being selected by the user is selected from a plurality of identified security levels of the print data; a network connecting the electronic device, the plurality of storing means, and the plurality of printers to one another; wherein the electronic device, at least one of the plurality of storing means, and at least one of the plurality of printers each have a security function and another security level associated with the set security level of the print data, where at least one of the plurality of storing means has a security level that is different from another of the plurality of storing means, and at least one of the plurality of printers has a security level that is different from another of the plurality of devices printers; a search means for searching the plurality of storing means and for searching the plurality of printers, responsive to selection of the security level of the print data by the user, so as to identify one or more given storing means and one or more given printers each of whose security level corresponds to the security level of the print data which security level is set in the setting section; a selecting means for providing results of the searching to the user and for providing an output, the output corresponding to: (i) a selected one of the identified one or more given storing means whose security level corresponds to the security level of the print data which security level is set in the setting section and (ii) a selected one of the identified one or more given printers whose security level corresponds to the security level of the print data which security level is set in the setting section, the selected ones being selected by the user from the provided search results; and wherein the electronic device transmits the print data to the selected one of the given storing means in response to said output from the selecting means, and the transmitted print data is transmitted to the selected one of the given printers by the selected one of the given storing means.

2. The electronic device network system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein: the plurality of storing means includes a first storing means having a first security level, and a second storing means having a second security level, the first security level being higher than the second security level.

3. The electronic device network system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the first storing means transmits print data by encrypting the print data, and the second storing means transmits the print data without encrypting the print data.

4. The electronic device network system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the first storing means is connected to the Internet via a firewall that limits access from devices on the Internet, and the second storing means is connected to the Internet without the firewall.

5. The electronic device network system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the first storing means does not have access to the Internet, and the second storing means have access to the Internet.

6. The electronic device network system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device, at least one of the plurality of storing means, and at least one of the printers each have a communications function for encrypted the print data.

7. The electronic device network system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the search means includes means for searching for a printer according to locations or functions of the printers.

8. The electronic device network system as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the search means further includes means for searching for a transmission route of the transmitted print data from the electronic device via the storing means to the printers.

9. The electronic device network system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the search means further includes means for searching for a transmission route of the transmitted print data from the electronic device via the storing means to the printers.

10. The electronic device network system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of printers includes a search section for searching for a storing means whose associated security level matches the associated security level of one of the plurality of printers which is making such a search.

11. The electronic device network system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes a displaying means for displaying a result of search made by a search means according to search conditions.

12. The electronic device network system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the respective associated security level of the electronic device, at least one of the plurality of storing means, and at least one of the plurality of printers is further established based on whether the electronic device, the storing means, and the printers belong to which of a plurality of networks that are connected to one another via access control means.

13. The electronic device network system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises a scanner.

14. A data receiver search system comprising: a plurality of storing means for storing print data, each storing means having a different security level associated therewith; a plurality of printers for acquiring the print data from the storing means and printing the acquired print data; an electronic device connected to the plurality of storing means and the plurality of printers via a network; a search device being connected to the electronic device; wherein the electronic device includes: a transmission section for transmitting the print data to the storing means, a setting section for setting a security level of the print data to be transmitted, wherein the security level of the print data is set in the setting section responsive to an input from a user of the electronic device, where the set security level is selected by the user from a plurality of identified security levels of the print data; wherein the search device includes a search section for searching the plurality of storing means and for searching the plurality of printers, responsive to selection of the security level of the print data by the user, so as to identify one or more given storing means and one or more given printers each of whose respective associated security level corresponds to the security level of the print data which security level is set in the setting section; a selecting means for providing results of the searching to the user and for providing an output, the output corresponding to: (i) a selected one of the identified one or more given storing means whose security level corresponds to the security level of the print data which security level is set in the setting section and (ii) a selected one of the identified one or more given printers whose security level corresponds to the security level of the print data which security level is set in the setting section, the selected ones being selected by the user from the provided search results; and wherein the transmission section transmits the print data corresponding to the set security level to the selected given storing means in responsive to said output, and the transmitted print data is transmitted to the selected given printer by the selected given storing means.

15. A data receiver search method using an electronic device network system that comprises: an electronic device for transmitting print data via a network; a plurality of storing means for storing the print data transmitted from the electronic device, where at least one of the plurality of storing means has a security level that is different from another of the plurality of storing means; and a plurality of printers for acquiring the print data from the storing means and printing the acquired print data, where at least one of the plurality of printers has a security level that is different from another of the plurality of printers, a network connecting the electronic device, the storing means, and the printers to one another, and the electronic device, at least one of the plurality of storing means, and at least one of the printers each having a security function and an associated security level; and wherein said data receiver search method includes the steps of: (a) the user of the electronic device setting a security level of the print data to be transmitted, wherein said setting including the user selecting the set security level of the print data from a plurality of identified security levels of the print data; (b) searching, responsive to selection of the security level of the print data by the user, for one or more given storing means from the plurality of storing means and one or more given printers from the plurality of printers whose respective associated security level match the security level of the print data which security level is set in step (a) when the electronic device transmits the print data; and (c) the user selecting one of the one or more given storing means and the one or more given printers as identified in step (b) and providing an input corresponding to said selecting; and (d) allowing transmission of the print data to the selected one of the given storing means or the given printer(s) identified in step (c) responsive to the input from step (c).

16. The data receiver search method as set forth in claim 15 , wherein said searching includes searching for a printer according to a location or functions of the printer.

17. The data receiver search method as set forth in claim 15 , wherein said searching includes searching for a transmission route of the transmitted print data from the electronic device via the storing means to the printers.

18. The data receiver search method as set forth in claim 15 , further comprising the steps of: prohibiting transmission of print data from the electronic device or from the storing means when the respective associated security levels of the electronic device, the storing means, and the printers do not match the desired security level of the print data as established by the user; and wherein said allowing transmission of the print data includes allowing transmission of the print data from the given storing means to the given printer when the respective associated security levels of the electronic device, the storing means, and the printers match the desired security level of the print data.

19. The data receiver search method as set forth in claim 18 , wherein when the stored print data in a storing means needs to be outputted from a printer and the printer and the storing means storing the stored print data have different associated security levels so that the stored print data is prevented from being transmitted from the storing means to the printer, said data receiver search method further comprises the step of: repeating said step of searching to identify another given printer whose associated security level matches the associated security level of the storing means storing the stored print data.